Bummed

[Janet]

I hope you're feeling a bit better Marilyn. I know it can be difficult to pull ourselves out of our lows, but we can when we focus on what's really important.

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by Janet

I hope you're feeling a bit better Marilyn. I know it can be difficult to pull ourselves out of our lows, but we can when we focus on what's really important.

Thank you, Janet. I am feeling some better. Just have to adjust to the new normal. Work and the financial stuff won't be the same for a very long time so just have to adjust and go on. Things were just so good before all of this. Uh, what a mess!! And hubby is dealing with issues as well. He's running his business by himself right now. At least it's getting done his way. When we get home, it's hard to be motivated to do all the things we normally do. Just no get up and go to get the laundry done, household chores. Evenings I'm home and not at some meeting or something, it's easier to sit on the couch and let the TV entertain, and that's not like us. Or at least not like me.

I know this too will pass. We're talking about going back to the gym. That would probably help a lot. Just have to get up the momentum to get there and get started again. I could cry so easily right now, and I know y'all are probably getting sick of hearing me complain. Wish I had a job like teaching or something where there is a bit of insulation from all of this. Though those careers have their frustrations as well. No, don't want to be a teacher. At least not public school. Not sure what the ideal job would be right now.

[judy]

It sounds like you're acclimating well to the economic crisis. It is so difficult!
My prayers to everyone who is in this position.

By the way, teaching is no longer secure. There are issues other than just the economy, but teachers in NYC do not have job security like they did anymore. I got out just in time.

[Marilyn]

I think we are all getting numb. So much has happened, and all my customers are either in financial trouble or cutting way back on spending. All we can do is try to convince them to give whatever business they do have to us. I'm trying to use this time to do a few "lunch and learn" presentations. Folks have time to attend right now, and appreciate the free meal. We get their attention for an hour to tell them how wonderful we are or one of our products is. What else can we do? I have a booth in a trade show this afternoon. Started not to do it, then decided the show benefits scholarships, and we just have to keep doing that....so hopefully some key customers will attend to support all the vendors.

Our CEO called yesterday, and we discussed LyondellBasell, seems we are able to start working with them again, so this will be a help for both companies. We need the sales soooo badly. He also asked how the other accounts are, and said that things are the same for most all of our petrochem accounts. Just hoping that if the stimulus passes that it will help us all, and that we will eventually be able to pay it all off so future generations are so burdened by what is happening now.

[HALEY]

Marilyn, its depressing here at work to, we just had a meeting with our company, they cut all the ceo 15%, vp 10% and all the working class 5% of our pays today, and they put a hold on our 401K's there not matching what we put into them, ya like its worth anything anyways, just so depressed today, i feel like just walking out these doors and never coming back.

[Marilyn]

Haley, at least we still do have jobs. We are more fortunate than many. Our company hasn't made any cuts, yet, no adjustments to 401K's. They did announce that there will be no salary increases this year. Many of us do have commission as a portion of our compensation, and this automatically lowers our income when things are down. I'd tell you how much I just lost personally, but should not put that kind of thing in an open forum. There are other things that have happened lately, too that I really don't want to put on here, but some good news would really help us all right now. Don't think I can handle much more bad news.

One thing I hate about all of this is that being in a management position, I get to deliver and explain the reasons for some of the bad news. It's hard to have to explain to people that they won't be making as much for a few months because of a customer's financial problems. They are upset, and there is nothing you can do but try to help them to understand and realize that we do still all have our jobs, and we are all sharing in the losses together.

I hope and pray that your situation will improve or at least stabalize so you have some comfort and security.

[HALEY]

Thanks Marilyn, i hope it does get better, but just thinking now, i got cut to 4 days a week, now 5% of my pay on top of this, and on April 1, another 4% cause were not getting any raises.. its' depressing, but yes Thank God i still have a job, and Thank God too that my husband is still working good.
So i'm just going to try and cheer up, and take the punches for now. and move on and see what happens in the next couple of months.